Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-11-06


the married aristocrscy OF the Presidency
dwell.
The military element prevailed over the
9. ). who were there, IS usual in the black
claW-lammer coat and expansive shirt
front of civilizsti0n-the same hi6eous
evening costume that one now sees all
hat and button-hole.
BOt0 Lonsdale and MonfressOr were
acceptable guests to Lady Tremsyne, ss
both were men with that understandable sir
of perfect breeding which 10 parvenu csn
counterfeit.
"Wbere is the besuty!' whispered
Danvers to Travers, as the two made
their way slowly and hall-simlessly
through the throng.
"Tnere she is, with old Doyley hanging
over her, trying, no doubt, 60 wesn her
from her fetish, the Egyptian hero, with
his usual elaborate speeches, that, like
those Of Val Blake, have done service
wherever the Queens morning drum
BEATS" replied Cecil Travers, as they saw
rather bald headed, grzzled, and very
base, elderly looking msn, in the uniform
Of Dragon Gasrd regiment, stoopir Q
over young lady who WAS scared on an
ottoman in the recess OF ar open window.
He had an eyeglass screwed into his
right eye-6 knock Of his-and his habit
OF suddenly turning it on anyone who ep-
preached was TO sumo people emharrass-
ing; tC many rude.
Sae was dressed il soft and cliueiUg
costume Ct black, il contrast to which
Der slender neck snd rounded arms
seemed as white as snow. She had rich
chestnut hair, with soft curly fringe
that ehone like gold when >he light struck
it, soft dark eyes with long black lashes,
nose that was just little retrousse
rather than straight, Colorless complex
ion; and as sbe famed herself her face
"Nre Just then g restless, uneasy, srx-
tous and worried expression, which
Charlie Danvers supposed wss due to an
noyance st the attentions of her mature
dragon admirer, whom she seemed to
hear 8s Ii she heard him not.
"By Jove, she is perfecti' muttered
youDg Travers, as with no small envy he
saw his Chum Charlie about TO be intro
duced to her By Lady Tremeyne. "Per-
feet, even to her slender, aTched and
pretty little feet"
70 keener observer than tie young
Body Guardsman, her face-a beautiful
one certainiy-would have told of one
whose life had known misfortune keenly
of painful past and Of @ present in
which, il there was much Of calm, there
was little of peace.
Danvers, though his hair YVES straw
colored-yet carefully pared in the
middle-though his express ionless face
WSs rather freckly; and he had pair of
iEnS a fhipEoGT norton yJIaronf Of
was the ankle, deemed himself rather an
object Of interest. Like most empty
headed young men, though q postmaster
in shooting, tennis and polo, he had an
inexhsustible flow OF small talk; but
sCmehow he had none now.
Buttoned up to the throat ia tight
tuniC-he was on duty-With a gold sash
across his left shoulder, q otto belt
round his waist, he felt very limp, and as
he afterwards said, "sll the go" wes
fairly cut Of him; and, as Lady TremaYre
led him forward to where her fair friend
sat, he could only gasp out 3 vague reply
TO some remark che made.
81 beg your pardon, Mr.. Danvers,"
seid Lady Tremayne; "buS did not hexr
what you said"
"Only that it is Very-hot," sad Dan
vers.
"Of course; but you are in India.
What do you think of it?"
"Th&t it would be all the better for be-
ing g, little colder"
The lady, who was thoroughly accIi-
matised, and had been "stewed" for two
wears among the swsmps Of Arraccn,
laughed at his not very original remark,
ard said:
81 must now introduce you as recent
arrival to Mrs -
D4nvers found himself face to face
With the beauty OF Waom all were talking;
but failed to catch her name, es Just then
q sudden and unexpected scene took
piace.
"Claire!" burst from the lips OF Mon
tTessor, who, ut that moment, approached.
6 Claire!" he repeated, in s low voice
that was breathless snd husky with as
end Joy.
The young beauty III black was Claire
his lost wife, yet looking SO
pure, 50 pale, and winning as ever-se
much like her former self that de could
almost have been persuaded that the dire
episode OF the so-called "Irene," and
their subsequent separation, were por-
tions of a ghsatly, s5terrIble dream, and
that now was blessed Weakening and
reality had come st last; in this most I'M
expected time and place end manner.
The bewilderment WAS on his side, but
the anguish on hers. OF his innocence
che knew nothing yet. "In moments Of
supreme excitement" it has been said,
"We do not express surprise much; in
deed, in the shaken state of our senses
re do not feel it at times"
Clare rose to her feet, trembling ard
seemingly about to sink, and sink she did
when Montressor drew near her, end she
held up her hands deprecatingly and en-
rs if to keep his touch from
her.
Their recognition WAS complete.
But the wild excitement Of the moment,
with the heat of the room and OF tue
climate, proved too much for her tender
system and oVerstrung nerves. She
reeled and fell back senseless into TIE
arms OF Colonel Doyley, and ultimately,
amid confusion and dismsy, Montressor
mad to leave her with the Tremaynes, and
await the events OF the morrow.
"Odd, ali tbis-dooced odd-When she
Is engaged, they say, to Val Blake" he
heard young Travers say; "snd he tSught
her to plsy billiards so we'll"
Sir Hobart became very stiff and pomp-
Gus, while Lady Tremsyne assumed a
more than usually cold manner while she
famed herself vehemently, and said to
some who gathered round her:
"This affair has been shockingly mis-
and i'll brought about"
Claire's outstretched hands and averted
face seemed to give Montress or sensa-